Petzl NAO

The latest in automotive headlight technology is downright impressive. Adaptive headlights turn with the steering wheel, high-beams deactivate when oncoming traffic approaches and self-leveling low beams move when the road angle changes. Why can’t headlamps follow suit? No more complaining: the Petzl NAO ($175), an adaptive and rechargable headlamp, seems to work in conjunction with the “eureka!” light bulb hanging above your head.

NAO’s built-in light sensor detects objects, so when you’re reading or trying to get a fire lit in the dark, the NAO spits out a wide, less powerful beam and adjusts intensity based on object proximity. When you’re on the move, the beam aperture remains wide but increases in brightness; and for the brightest and narrowest beam, the NAO senses when you raise your head to look for far-off objects. You can even program settings via OS software that allows you to register activities on the headlamp, create lighting profiles and share those profiles with others. For tasks that require lighting doldrums, there’s also a constant lighting mode, which vastly improves battery life. Speaking of which, the Li-Ion battery charges via USB and you can also substitute AAA batteries on the fly. Now, go find the car keys your better half just whipped into the woods when you said they looked fat in flannel.

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